Tarot Card Reading for Finding Inner Guidance: Outside the Box

By Gina Rabbin

Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and wondered who you were? Have you ever asked yourself whether what
you were doing with your life still had meaning for you? Have you ever felt as if you were in a prison, without any
idea of how you'd gotten there or how to get out? I recently had a session with a teacher who felt that way. She
was at a crossroads in her life, not because she no longer wanted to teach but because of the academic environment
in which she had been placed. She was questioning what kind of teacher she was, and whether or not she should continue
in her chosen profession.

Mary (not her real name) came to me seeking answers, yet doubting whether a tarot reading could offer her anything
of substance. Desperate for guidance, she was willing to try anything. In the beginning, she shared nothing with
me about her situation, and her skepticism was apparent. Within minutes of laying out the cards, her doubts disappeared
and she became an active participant in the reading.

The cards showed immediately that she was a teacher in the midst of a struggle, and Mary confirmed that she was,
indeed, facing great difficulties and did not know what to do. She had been assigned to teach a remedial class of
hard-to-handle teenagers, with the added challenge of being a white teacher in a mostly black class in a minority
neighborhood. Her usual teaching method was not working with this group of students. She felt out of control, and
each day seemed to be a test of survival with very little else being accomplished.

As always, the cards act as a portal to the intuitive realm, where knowing and awareness reside. For each person
who receives a reading, the cards offer guidance and clarity exclusive to that person's issues. Often, a client will
focus on one or two specific cards that hold special meaning for them, that seem to touch them at their core. The
two cards in Mary's reading that resonated most deeply with her were The Empress and The Lovers.

The Empress is often recognized as Mother, the nurturer, the giver of life. Here she spoke to Mary as Mother Earth: "Don't
I give you everything you need to survive? Through me, you have food to eat, and clothes to wear, and shelter from
the cold. But look more closely at what I provide for you. Do I give you these things in their manifest form, or
do I offer you the tools to create them yourself, in the way that fulfills your unique, individual needs? Look at
the tools you have as a teacher, and see how you can use them to fulfill the unique, individual needs of those students
in your class." Mary became very thoughtful, saying that she had never considered altering her teaching method
to reflect her students' needs, having instead expected them to change their behaviors to meet her needs. Now, open
to the possibility, she received guidance on ways in which she could shift her teaching style.

The Lovers, a card of choice, spoke next, saying "When you choose a lover, are you not making a statement to
the world about who you are, what you desire from life, and what you feel worthy of receiving? Do you think the students
in your class have ever had the opportunity to express who they are, and what they want from life? Has anyone ever
given these children the freedom to believe that choices exist for them to move beyond their current lives?" Again,
Mary became silent and thoughtful, and realized that she had never related to her students as individuals, never
given them a voice, never actually heard them. Again, she was given guidance on how to accomplish this.

Mary was now able to think and see outside the box, the box that she had labeled "teacher". She reframed
her belief in what it looked like to be a teacher, and in so doing created a new paradigm unique to the needs of
this particular class. She was astonished that a tarot reading could offer such practical, down-to-earth solutions
to her problems! Mary left our session feeling optimistic, even excited, at the possibilities that existed for both
herself and her students.

This is what a tarot reading can do for you. More than simply providing clarity about the specific issue in front
of you, a reading will challenge your beliefs and assumptions, make you more conscious of your behaviors and habits,
uncover deeply ingrained patterns, and offer practical solutions for a successful outcome. Mary was challenged to
look closely at the "teacher" box in which she had imprisoned herself, and in so doing became aware of
the need to alter her belief system in order to free herself and her students.

Is it time for your beliefs and assumptions to be challenged? Is it time for you to create new paradigms unique
to your life and to the times in which you currently live?

I welcome reader questions! If there is an issue you would like to see addressed in a future column.

Gina
Rabbin is a life-long intuitive and catalyst for clarity. She helps people clarify and resolve their personal and
professional issues in order to create more fulfilling and meaningful lives. Currently residing in San Francisco,
California, Gina is available for tarot card readings in person or by telephone. For more information, please visit
http://www.ginarabbin.com.